My Bonny

I found this autographed photo postcard of "Bonny Maid" mixed among some other papers at an estate sale this past Friday.

 Bonny Maid was the brand name of and the mascot for a vinyl floor tile made by Bonfide Mills, Inc.

Image courtesy of eBay

 The company was also the sponsor of a TV show called "Versatile Varieties" which aired on CBS from 1949 to 1950.  Several actresses portrayed "Bonny Maid" on the show including Eva Marie Sainte, Anne Francis, Edie Adams and Janis Page.  Looking through pictures of these actresses, I've determined this particular photo features Anne Francis.

Although her trademark beauty mark is covered up, there's no mistaking the eyes, nose and chin.

Anne Francis photo courtesy of waytofamous.com

Anne Francis was best known for her role as Altaira in the classic Sci Fi film Forbidden Planet, where she co-starred alongside Leslie Nielson, as well as for her Golden-Globe-award-winning and Emmy-nominated role as "Honey West" in the TV series of the same name which ran from 1965 to 1966.

She passed away in 2011 from pancreatic cancer.

Curbside TVs

A few weeks back on my morning drive to work on Laclede Station Road in Webster Groves, I spotted these sitting at the curb ready for the trash man.  Of course I had to stop and save them.

Riddle Me This

I found this 45 in a box of records at a local garage sale (in fact, just down the street from me) last Saturday.  I was surprised no one had grabbed it yet, especially when the seller told me someone had already bought a bunch of them.  She was charging 25 cents each.  This was the only one I was interested in.  I wonder what sold before I got there.

The "A" side is actually "Never Let Her Go", an easy listening song written by David Gates best known as a member of the band Bread and for his single "The Goodbye Girl".  It's actually not that bad and typical of the era.  The hole drilled through the label indicates this 45 was discontinued and discounted by the time it was purchased.

Click title to listen

Never Let Her Go

The "B" side, or the reason anyone bought this 45, is "The Riddler".  Written by Mel Torme, it features Frank Gorshin in his Riddler persona shouting out riddles set to bouncy music.

The Riddler

What was on TV September 16th through 22nd, 1978

Following up last week's Big Fall Preview, we now enter the brand new 1978 television season.  Remember when all television shows premiered the same week?   Let's see what's on.

Tom's Book

I found this among a bunch of other papers at an estate sale a couple weeks ago.  It literally had my name on it.

Games People Play

At a time when social media seems to be taking over many people's lives, I can't help but feel Americans are at a social low point in their history.  Time was when married couples would get together for a game of Bridge or just have drinks and conversation in the basement bar.  Now "friends" are more likely to just "like" that picture you shared from one of your Facebook groups or send you an invite to play "Farm Heroes" with them.

"Adult Games" (not a guide to the swinger crowd) is geared toward those bygone days.  It's a Dell "Purse Book" meaning it was meant to be carried around, presumably by the wife.  The scans below are actual size.  It dates from 1963.

Frozen

In the same lot where I found the "Doing Your Share" booklet, was this book on the benefits and cost savings of frozen foods from 1947 published by General Electric who just by coincidence sold freezers.